Gifu Prefecture is a hot spring kingdom blessed with numerous attractive hot springs throughout the region, including the magnificent Okuhida Onsen-go nestled in the embrace of the Northern Japan Alps. This guide introduces 10 distinctive hot springs in Gifu Prefecture, ranging from wild outdoor hot springs to accommodating secret hot springs.
1. Shinhotaka Onsen Yarimikan (Takayama City, Gifu)
Located at the foot of the Northern Japan Alps with peaks over 3,000 meters, Okuhida Onsen-go boasts over 140 hot spring sources and one of Japan's most abundant hot water outputs. At the innermost location, at an elevation exceeding 1,000 meters, lies Shinhotaka Onsen, a highland hot spring resort.
Yarimikan is a single remote inn nestled along the clear stream Kamata River flowing through Shinhotaka Onsen. This long-established inn, founded in 1925, features a mixed outdoor bath overlooking the famous peak Yarigatake of the Northern Japan Alps. The spring quality is simple hot spring water with transparent color. The slightly hot flowing water soothes travel-weary bodies. The facility offers eight types of baths including "Yarimi-no-yu" with panoramic views of Yarigatake, four private outdoor baths, and indoor baths with large windows overlooking Yarigatake.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor=2, Outdoor=7
- Source Temperature: 63°C
- No water addition or heating
- Day-trip bathing: Available (Adults 500 yen)
- Accommodation: Available
- Operating Period: Year-round
2. Shinhotaka-no-yu (Takayama City, Gifu)
A representative wild hot spring in Shinhotaka Onsen of Okuhida Onsen-go. This open outdoor bath set along the Kamata River has graced travel magazine covers numerous times. It's a simple outdoor bath where visitors can purely enjoy the hot spring without indoor baths or showers.
Located openly with a bridge overhead, maintaining the traditional mixed bathing style, women are recommended to wear swimwear. Visitors contribute approximately 300 yen as cleaning cooperation fee to the fee box.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Outdoor only (mixed)
- Operating Hours: 8:00-18:00 (Late April to October 30 annually)
- Fee: Cleaning cooperation fee around 300 yen
- Address: Kamisaka, Okuhida Onsen-go, Takayama City, Gifu
3. Kojin-no-yu (Takayama City, Gifu)
A day-trip bathing facility in Tochio Onsen featuring an extremely open outdoor bath situated beside the Kamata River. This unmanned bathing facility offers only separate men's and women's changing rooms and outdoor baths. With simple enclosures and reasonably spacious interiors, the riverside location provides exceptional openness.
Operates on a voluntary donation system with approximately 200 yen deposited in the fee box. The women's outdoor bath has privacy screens, while the men's side remains visible from the opposite bank.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Outdoor only (separate for men and women)
- Operating Hours: 8:00-22:00 (Opens from 12:00 on Mon, Wed, Fri for cleaning)
- Fee: Voluntary donation (around 200 yen)
- Address: Tochio, Okuhida Onsen-go, Takayama City, Gifu
4. Isurugi-no-yu (Takayama City, Gifu)
A hot spring facility within "Mukashibanashi-no-sato" day-trip bathing facility in Fukuji Onsen. Located within old private houses that recreate Hida's simple mountain village scenery, visitors can enjoy hot springs while viewing peaceful rural mountain landscapes. This source-fed hot spring features indoor and outdoor baths with simple sulfur spring water characterized by smooth, slippery texture. White thread-like hot spring flowers dance in the water.
The facility offers irori (hearth) dining featuring goheimochi (rice cakes) and Takayama ramen. The attached "Fukuji Fossil Museum" displays precious fossils excavated from Fukuji, one of Japan's major fossil sites.
- Spring Quality: Simple sulfur spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor and outdoor baths (separate for men and women)
- Operating Hours: 12:00-16:00
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Fee: 300 yen
- Address: 110 Fukuji, Okuhida Onsen-go, Takayama City, Gifu
5. Hirayu-no-mori (Takayama City, Gifu)
A day-trip bathing facility in Hirayu Onsen of Okuhida Onsen-go. Sixteen outdoor baths for men and women are scattered across the vast 15,000-tsubo grounds, offering abundant openness where visitors can fully enjoy hot spring bathing and forest bathing. The spacious indoor bath accommodating 30 people exudes a hot spring resort atmosphere with full retro appeal.
Hydrogen sulfide scent is noticeable, with white turbid baths and hot spring flowers visible. Unique private baths using iron pots are also available. Accommodation is possible with buildings relocating traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses and cottages scattered throughout the forest.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring (with hydrogen sulfide scent)
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor and 16 outdoor bath locations
- Operating Hours: 10:00-21:00 (Reception until 20:30)
- Closed: Year-round operation (maintenance closures possible)
- Fee: Adults 700 yen, Children 500 yen
- Accommodation: Available
- Address: 763 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsen-go, Takayama City, Gifu
6. Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake "Uguisu-no-yu" (Takayama City, Gifu)
A hot spring facility at a large hotel in Shinhirayu Onsen. The famous "Uguisu-no-yu" changes to a rare emerald green color and is known as Japan's only ultra-deep hot spring containing microorganisms. This underground spring source is also renowned as a beauty hot spring.
The facility houses nine bath areas including the cave bath "Bakusen-do" behind flowing waterfall and massage baths, and the unique "standing bath" with 1.2-meter depth for enjoying hot spring tours with different atmospheric baths.
- Spring Quality: Ultra-deep water hot spring
- Source: 100% spring water
- Baths: 9 different bath areas
- Operating Hours: 12:00-22:00 (Last entry 21:00)
- Closed: Irregular holidays
- Fee: 900 yen (Free for elementary school children and under)
- Address: 2498-1 Ichijugane, Okuhida Onsen-go, Takayama City, Gifu
7. Nigorigo Onsen Yumotokan (Gero City, Gifu)
Japan's highest elevation hot spring inn at 1,800 meters above sea level. This secret hot spring embraced by the sacred Mount Ontake also serves as a base for Mount Ontake climbing. Surrounded by pristine nature, visitors can enjoy excellent source-fed hot spring water available 24 hours daily.
The cuisine abundantly uses Hida ingredients, featuring Gifu's famous Hida beef and honoba-miso grilling among delicious local specialty ingredients.
- Spring Quality: Simple sulfur spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor and outdoor baths
- 24-hour bathing available
- Accommodation: Available
- Address: 2383 Ochiai, Osaka-cho, Gero City, Gifu
8. Tousuke-no-yu Fujiya (Shirakawa Village, Gifu)
A secret hot spring inn in Shirakawa-go Hirase Onsen. This natural hot spring bubbling from the foot of sacred Mount Hakusan has long been cherished as a fertility hot spring. Located 15km south of the World Heritage Shirakawa-go gassho-zukuri village cluster in a mountain valley, visitors can enjoy hot springs in a tranquil environment.
Designated as a National Recreation Hot Spring by the Ministry of Environment, it's said to have beauty and gynecological benefits. As a Mount Hakusan climbing entrance, it has been beloved for healing climbers' fatigue for many years.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor and outdoor baths
- Accommodation: Available
- Address: Hirase, Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu
9. Shinmei Onsen Yumoto Sugishima (Seki City, Gifu)
A remote secret hot spring inn deep in Oku-Mino along the Itadori River. The outdoor bath overlooking the clear Itadori River is exceptional, allowing visitors to enjoy nature through the four seasons. The building maintains the atmosphere of an old Japanese house, creating a fairy-tale world experience.
The inn prides itself on local cuisine using mountain vegetables and river fish, where visitors can fully savor mountain blessings including salt-grilled ayu (sweetfish) raised in the clear Itadori River.
- Spring Quality: Simple hot spring
- Source: Direct from spring
- Baths: Indoor and outdoor baths
- Accommodation: Available
- Address: 2956 Itadori, Seki City, Gifu
10. Nagaragawa Onsen (Gifu City)
Hot springs bubbling along the clear Nagara River flowing through Gifu City. Rich in iron content, the source water is colorless and transparent but gradually changes to reddish turbid water upon contact with air. From the hot spring resort area, visitors can look down at the magnificent Nagara River and up at Mount Kinka and Gifu Castle in an excellent location.
Convenient for observing Nagara River cormorant fishing held annually from May to October, visitors can closely observe this traditional cormorant fishing with over 1,300 years of history. Many hot spring inns offer plans combining cormorant fishing observation.
- Spring Quality: Iron spring
- Baths: Varies by facility
- Day-trip bathing: Available at some facilities
- Accommodation: Available
- Special Feature: Attractive combination with cormorant fishing observation
- Address: Around Nagara, Gifu City, Gifu
Summary
Gifu Prefecture's hot springs offer diverse attractions from secret hot springs embraced by the magnificent nature of Okuhida Onsen-go to hot springs near urban areas that can be enjoyed in combination with the historic Nagara River cormorant fishing. From the openness of wild hot springs to the tranquility of remote inns and diverse spring qualities woven by abundant sources, each hot spring possesses unique individual characteristics and attractions that continue to fascinate hot spring enthusiasts.
Please tour Gifu Prefecture's secret and wild hot springs for complete physical and mental refreshment.